From the Rector…
Over the holiday, I read Tap Code by Smitty Harris, which recounts his life in the Hanoi Hilton and surrounding Vietnamese prison camps, as well as his wife’s struggles in raising their children and ensuring their financial security during that time. It is a fascinating read and I highly recommend it.
The “tap code” was a communication method Harris taught to fellow prisoners. They used it to tap words on walls, windows, bowls—anything that would make a sound. They tapped words of encouragement, Bible verses, prayers, and practical communications. Using the tap code helped them identify the SRO—Senior Ranking Officer—no matter which camp they might be transferred to, and they were transferred several times during their captivity. The tap code also allowed them to identify which prisoners were in the camps with them, helping them establish communication networks in which they received news from home and the war effort as well as organize by rank.
The US military has a Code of Conduct for prisoners of war, with six rules to guide American POW’s behavior while in captivity. These rules remind soldiers of their identity as Americans and strengthen their resolve. Article IV establishes order in capture. It designates the most senior ranking officer (SRO) as commanding officer and mandates that all lower ranking prisoners obey their orders as lawful. This article depends on being able to identify the SRO, and thanks to the tap code, the men in the Hanoi Hilton were able to do just that.
Harris’ teaching of the “tap code” provided the POWs a method not only to communicate, order themselves, and follow through with Article IV of the Code of Conduct, it gave them life.
The American POWs in Vietnam endured cruel and sadistic treatment by the North Vietnamese. They were beaten, starved, and tortured by their captors. They were often placed in isolation without light, heat, or ventilation in bug-infested cells. It’s remarkable that only one U. S. airman died in the POW camps of North Vietnam. This was largely due to their ability to communicate—not just for moral support and encouragement of one another, but also due to the power of an ordered life.
Smitty and the other airmen who communicated through the “tap code” were able to order themselves by identifying their SRO. Once the SRO was known, he could issue orders based on the six articles of the POW Code of Conduct. Those orders included decisions about whether to attempt escape, levels of cooperation with their captors, which tunes to whistle or songs to sing and when, and when church services might be attempted. Once the other soldiers knew their orders, their daily life became about how to live out those orders—it gave them purpose and combatted their despair even when hope was all but lost.
We’ve spent the last several months exploring how an ordered life enhances our spiritual growth and anchors us in daily living. But there is more to the ordered life than simply what it offers us as individuals. The power of an ordered life is communal—it draws us together and connects us in common purpose. This doesn’t mean we all value the same things or engage in the same activities; it means we work to order our lives together. The church provides a beautiful structure for this through the sacraments. We are baptized and confirmed as a statement of our faith. We come to church together each week and take communion to strengthen and nurture us as the body of Christ. We pray together, celebrate together, learn together, and work together. In this way we partner with God and one another in common purpose—the building up of God’s kingdom. In this
way, an ordered life not only strengthens our individual faith but also unites us in purpose, helping to fulfill God’s greater plan for his people.
Light and Life,
Candice+